If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Re: Is there a red light available for night work?

Some buddies of mine bought me a headlight for my Bday in Dec. It has a red setting. Saw em at walmart fro 10 bucks. I am convinced that they can see the red light though, but not as much as a white light....I use it for loading bees and I hardly get stung.

Re: Is there a red light available for night work?

I've worked my hive at night, using red LED headlights. I've been doing it, off and on, for most of a decade. As long as I don't give them any reason to cause me problems, everything usually goes very well. Nights with clear skies and a full moon, can be a problem.

Re: Is there a red light available for night work?

working your hives at night and moving your hives are two different things. I move mine in and out of their holding yards, out yards, onto trucks, all at night but I am not opening them up to "work" them. Opening a hive at night means the bees are more defensive, there are lots more bees because all your forgers are back so it's harder to see what's going on, it's dark and a red light doesn't give you good enough light to see what's really going on...and that's just three reasons I can think of off the top of my head.

Re: Is there a red light available for night work?

Daytime temps - 90F, now. 100F+ in a few more weeks. Sun is out adding heat.

Nighttime temps - 55F, now. 70-80F in a few more weeks. Sun is down, no additional heat.

Smoke works at night, just like it does in the daytime. Not as good for viewing fine details like brood or eggs, but works fine for most everything else. I began using this technique back when most of my hives were AHB. Now that none of them are, it works like a dream.

Re: Is there a red light available for night work?

Cheers for all the replies,

Ended up ordering the Petzl - will let you know what I think when it gets here.

Like has been covered, Its just gone autumn here - still warm at night - once the little fella is in bed, I can duck out for an hour and finish things in the hives I may not have completed during the day - just clumsy using the torch I have found lately - hands free should be great!!

Re: Is there a red light available for night work?

Look on huntsmart.com; a coon hunting light is hat mounted & puts out a lot of light. I use my husband's sometimes; I didn't think about using a red lens though (I sprayed around my veil with Fischers Bee Quick & that kept them off of the light pretty good).

Re: Is there a red light available for night work?

I bought the Petzl "taktika" (spelling may be incorrect) about 2 years ago, and although it works, and provides just enough light to get by with the red lense on, I would LOVE to find a red led headlamp with significantly brighter light, I think this would be best accomplished with actual red led's, not a red lense filter that cuts out most of the lumens...

Anyone have any ideas? Have you stumbled across any products that I didn't see 2 years back? Thanks!